York Under-12s’ schoolboy footballers took a major step towards securing the Junior Star League title with a hard-fought 1-0 win at hosts Nottingham.

With Hull and Bradford seemingly unable to complete their fixture, York enjoy a four-point lead with just one game to go.

Only an unprecedented league ruling to award Hull the points can keep the destiny of the championship in doubt. York began nervously at Nottingham knowing how much was on the game and in the early stages the home ranks had the better of the exchanges.

Fortunately for York, the centre-back pairing of Jamie O’Connell and man-of-the-match Cai Gallimore, pictured, were in top form coping well with strong forwards.

The breakthrough came early in the second half when Declan Bonefeld, who had been introduced on the left-wing, forced a corner from which Dan Hartley fired home a half-cleared ball.

York set out to defend their lead and succeeded in doing so through a tense last 15 minutes.

In addition to O’Connell and Gallimore at the heart of the defence, there were strong performances from marksman Hartley, captain Alfie Atkinson and striker Dan Moll.